Porgy and Bess

When George Gershwin set out to write his first opera, he was already a celebrity. The creator of Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and, together with his brother Ira, some of the most beloved popular songs of the day, Gershwin had already conquered both concert halls and Broadway theaters with his distinctive musical style. For his first foray into grand opera, Gershwin wanted a subject worthy of the genre’s depth and richness. As a composer whose work wove together numerous strands from the American musical tapestry, Gershwin also wanted a story that would express a vital aspect of the American experience. He finally found his subject in the loves and losses of a community of working-class African Americans in Charleston.

The resulting opera, Porgy and Bess, offered an unprecedented representation of black artists in serious roles on the operatic stage, but it also inevitably carried the baggage of some critics’ and audiences’ racist assumptions about its characters. Now, more than 80 years later, Porgy and Bess can be understood as part of the complex patchwork of American history, in which uplifting moments sometimes lie next to ugly ones. Yet even as audiences’ understanding of the work has changed over time, Gershwin’s music has consistently offered an abundance of musical riches: soaring melodies, jazz-infused harmonies, and songs of abiding heart and hope.

This guide presents Porgy and Bess as a unique cultural statment connected to seminal issues in American life. The materials on the following pages invite students to examine the work’s literary imagery, study the distinctly American musical forms that inspired Gershwin’s score, and consider the thorny issues of race and interpretation that the opera raises. By delving into the opera’s music, drama, and history, this guide will forge interdisciplinary classroom connections, inspire critical thinking, and help students gain an appreciation for the opera’s immortal melodies, characters, and themes.

Porgy and Bess

An opera in three acts, sung in English

By George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward,
and Ira Gershwin

Based on the novel Porgy by DuBose Heyward

First performed September 30, 1935
at the Colonial Theater, Boston

David Robertson, Conductor

James Robinson, Production
Michael Yeargan, Set Designer
Catherine Zuber, Costume Designer
Donald Holder, Lighting Designer
Luke Halls, Projection Designer
Camille A. Brown, Choreographer
David Leong, Fight Director

The worldwide copyrights in the works of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for this presentation are licensed by the Gershwin family.

GERSHWIN is a registered trademark of Gershwin Enterprises. Porgy and Bess is a registered trademark of Porgy and Bess Enterprises.

A co-production of the Metropolitan Opera; Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam; and English National Opera

Production a gift of The Sybil B. Harrington Endowment Fund and Douglas Dockery Thomas 

Eric Owens
PORGY

Angel Blue
BESS

Golda Schultz
CLARA 

Alfred Walker
CROWN

Donovan Singletary
JAKE

Latonia Moore
SERENA

Denyce Graves
MARIA 

Frederick Ballentine
SPORTIN’ LIFE

This guide is intended to cultivate students’ interest in Wozzeck, whether or not they have any prior acquaintance with opera or the performing arts. It includes activities for students with a wide range of musical backgrounds and seeks to encourage them to think about opera—and the performing arts as a whole—as a medium of both entertainment and creative expression.

In particular, this guide will offer in-depth introductions to:

• The characters and imagery of Porgy and Bess
• Issues surrounding the work’s history and interpretation
• Gershwin’s approximation of blues and spirituals in his operatic score
• Creative choices made by the artists of the Metropolitan Opera for this production
• The opera as a unified work of art, involving the efforts of composer, librettist, and Met artists